When Apple rolled out its first iPhone in 2007, it did not include a single third-party app. It wasn't until a year later that the official App Store was launched, with an initial offering of just 500 apps. Today, the web-based store offers almost 2 million options, while Google Play, launched in 2012, offers almost 2.5 million choices for android devices.

In 2010, Apple trademarked its iconic slogan, "there's an app for that." It would seem the tag line was quite prescient in anticipating the wide appeal apps would have in today's busy world. Consumers can access apps for any number of businesses or services, including grocery stores, banks, fitness centers, financial institutions, even their doctors' offices. It is increasingly possible for consumers to interact with their local pharmacies via a mobile app, and not surprisingly, those apps receive high marks for convenience and overall satisfaction.

A 2019 survey by J.D. Power found significantly higher satisfaction levels among consumers who use a pharmacy's mobile app, versus those who do not. "Only 20 percent of customers use a pharmacy's mobile app, but those who did have satisfaction scores as much as 23 points higher than those who do not," the survey analysis reported.

As the number of pharmacies implementing mobile apps increases, this technology will become a competitive differentiator, as consumers embrace the convenience and come to expect the service.

Micro Merchant Systems, through its industry-leading PrimeRx™ pharmacy management system, includes technology for four unique apps that can easily be configured to meet a pharmacy’s unique needs.  Those apps, and their functionalities include:

• MyPrimeRx™ Owners App: This is designed for the busy pharmacy owner who needs full visibility, at any time, into pharmacy operations. Key features include:
• Access to real-time financial information from any mobile device.
• Information, presented in graph form, for data related to prescription, insurance and prescribers.
• Ability to monitor spikes in prescription dispensing.

• The FillMyRefills™ (FMR) App: The pharmacy is never closed with the FillMyRefills™ app. Patients can use the app to seamlessly submit refill requests, which automatically load to the PrimeRx™ refill queue. Additional capabilities include:
• Automatic notification when a refill request is received, and again when the prescription has been filled.
• Ability for patients to create comprehensive prescription profiles that include medications received from different pharmacies.
• Full visibility into patient prescription histories, including discontinued prescriptions, refill schedules, and automatic alerts when a refill is due.

• PrimeDELIVERY™ App: This app facilitates the prescription delivery process by ensuring safe, accurate, and fully-compliant transactions.
• Fully integrates with the PrimeRx™ operating system to record all transactions.
• Allows for HIPPA-compliant capture of patients' signatures.
• Deliveries are automatically marked as "completed" in PrimeRx™.
• Credit cards can be seamlessly processed, with receipts emailed directly to the patient.

• MobilePOS™ Pharmacy Curbside App: Sometimes a pharmacy needs the flexibility to move its point-of-sale capabilities, whether to a different location within the store or to a patient's front door. This app allows a pharmacy manager to seamlessly transport POS functionality to a new location without losing any core capabilities.
• Similar to PrimeDELIVERY™ App features, the Curbside App integrates with PrimeRx™, and allows seamless credit card transactions and receipt generation.

Technology solutions including PrimeRx™ make it easy for pharmacy owners to customize apps without a significant investment in time or resources, and by offering an app, a pharmacy can demonstrate its commitment to patients, and a willingness to make the pharmacy experience as convenient and hassle-free as possible.

Apples memorable "there's an app for that" slogan clearly paved the way for today's transformative app-based culture. But technology companies including Micro Merchant Systems, which has adopted "software without limits" as its own slogan, will continue to blaze new trails with innovative designs, and next generation capabilities.